Swearing in
New Harlem mayor, two councilmen take the oath of office
Scott Dean says the team is so good that there won't be any reasons for failure.
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Sworn in Tuesday as Harlem's first mayor elected to serve a four-year term, Dean soaked in the applause while praising the four members of the Harlem City Council who shared the Harlem Women's Club stage.
"I hope we uphold the standards you expect," Dean told the standing-room-only crowd of family members, Harlem residents and county officials. "With this council we don't have any excuses."
Those council members include veteran Rudolph Dixon Sr., a former three-term council member who filled the unexpired term when Dean resigned last year to run for mayor. Dixon later was elected to a full term in November. Also elected to the council was John Thigpen, who, with Dixon and Dean was sworn in Tuesday to serve with incumbents Robin Root and Craig Brooks.
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Dean succeeds John Bentley, who served a single two-year term. One of Bentley's first initiatives as mayor was to work with state lawmakers to extend council terms to four years, but Bentley lost his re-election bid in November to Dean.
The longer term of office will be a plus in developing initiatives for rebuilding Columbia County's smallest city, which lost population according to the 2000 census.
Dean, accompanied by his wife Renee, is administered the oath of office by Judge Pat Hardaway.
Photo by Jim Blaylock
"The expectation is that the city can improve things without stopping for an election in between," Dean said.
The team meeting those expectations expects help from citizens, Dean said, noting that 2003 has been dubbed "The Year of Involvement" for Harlem - a call to residents to pitch in to boost their city.
Infrastructure and business improvements dominate Dean's priorities. First on the list, he said, is continued work with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division to lift a consent order on the city's sewer system. Because of repeated violations from the system, the EPD won't allow the city to hook up new customers. The moratorium is stifling residential growth, Dean said; "That's the biggest holdup to development."
The city also is seeking a half-million-dollar state grant for sewer-system improvements, while plans are being completed for a redesign of Harlem's downtown area through funding from another state grant.
Dean said city officials also are hoping to win designation this year in the state's "Better Hometowns" program; last year Harlem came in sixth - on a list in which the top five Georgia cities won the honor.
Councilman Rudolph Dixon is accompanied by wife Rosemary as Dean swears him in.
Photo by Jim Blaylock
Councilman John Thigpen is accompanied by his wife Sandra and daughter Kristi as he is sworn into office by Dean.
Photo by Jim Blaylock